Aeroplane



June 7 1927.

A. BAMBlNl AEROPLANE Filed Oct. 6, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 A. BAMBINI AEROPLANE Filed Oct. 6. 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 gnvafwto'c 1,631,187 June 7, 1927. A BAMBINI AEROPLANE Filed Oct. 6, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 gwwzntoc vide the wings of Patented J une 7, i 1927.

, UNITED STAT-as 1,631,187 PATENT OFFICE.

AURELIO BAMBINI, F SEWABD, PENNSYLVANIA.

AEBOPLANE.

Application led October 6, 1925. Serial No. 60,860.

.rotated in an opposite direction from that of the main driving propeller for slowing down the plane in order to land in restricted territories and for use in suspending the plane while descending or for elevating the plane in case of an accident to themain propeller or engine, said auxiliary 'propeller may also be used if found practical for drivingkthe plane in a rearward direction during ,1g t.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an auxiliary propeller which is collapsible and adapted to be folded against the sides of the fuselage of the plane when not in use, and being arranged so as to be immediately released when desired which will cause the same to be swung to an open position due to the forward movement of the plane, said means for releasing the propeller eing connected to the auxiliary engine so as to crank the same for rotating the propeller.

A4 further object of the invention is to prosingle substantial frame, which is pivotally mounted on the fusel e and is adapted to be swung to various positions for elevating or lowering the plane as the same is driven in a forward direction.

It is also an object of the invention to provide an aeroplane of the` above indicated character, which is simple and Substantial in construction, which can be manufactured at a moderate price, and which will be eiicient and practical in use.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will be apparent as -the description proceeds, the invention resides in the construction and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my iinproved aeroplane, showing the covering yfor the fuselage-removed,

Figure 2 is a top plan of the same,

the plane constructed in a Figure 3 is a vertical cross section through the forward end of the fuselage, showing the wings in elevation, and

Figure 4 isa fragmentary perspective view of the forward end of my improved plane.

In carrying out the invention, the numeral designates the frame or fuselage of the plane, which is constructed of aseries of lonitudinal strips 11 which are secured at their orward ends to the radiator 12, at their rear ends to the member 13, and intermediate their ends to an enlarged partition member 141, which will support said strips in the desired formation. About the strips is arranged a covering (which is not shown) for enclosing the interior of the fuselage. Mounted upon the forward end of a pair of the strips 11 is the main engine 15 for driving a propeller 16 mounted ony the forward end of the fuselage. v v

Positioned above and below the forward end of the fuselage are wings 17 and 18,`

which are braced apart in spaced relation by struts 19 and guy wires 20.` Also arranged between the wings 17 and 18 is a bar 21 which has its opposite ends turned up and secured to the upper wing 17, asat 22, said bar 21 extending through the fuselage and being pivotally supported byl a pair of the strips 11 forming the frame of the fuselage. Attached to the lower wing 18 and extending upwardly and connected to the bar 21 where the upturned portions 22 are formed are a pair of brace members 23, which connect the lower wing 18 with the bar 21. The bar 21 has an offset portion formed therein so as to provide a crank 24 which has connected thereto one end'of'a'connecting rod 25 that extends rearwardly and has its rear end pivotally frame of the fuselage. the

By Swingin llever 26 the bar 21 will be rocked, whic will either raise or lower the forward portion of the wing members, ,thus causing the plane to raise or lower in its forward course.

On the upper side of the upper wing 17 is arranged a rudder 28 formed in the shape of a bird, 'said rudder being mounted on a post 29 extending throughtlie wing 17, which in turn has its lower end attachedto a rearwardly extending rod 30. The rear end of the rod 30 has connected thereto the opposite ends of a cable 31 extending through eyes 32 and 33 mounted upon the rear edge ofthe wing 17. The cable 3l has its interconnected to a lever 26 pivoted tefthe' mediate portion wound about a spool or drum 34 carried by a downwardly extending bracket 35 mounted upon the wing 17. In order that the drum 34 may be rotated, I have provided a hand wheel 36 fixed thereto and arranged at a convenient point for operation by the operator of the plane. y turning the hand wheel 36 one end of the cable 31 will be wound upon the drum while the other end is unwound from the drum, thus swingingthe rod 30 which will cause the rudder 28 to be swun to either. side for guiding the turning of t e plane 1n either direction.

Mounted on the frame ofthe machine 1n rear of the partition 14 is an auxlliary en'- gine 38 which is' provided with an air inlet lever 39 for causing the easy starting of the engine. Extending rearwardly' from the auxiliary engine 38 is a shaft 40 which 1s provided with a pair of universal ]o1nts 41 and 42 therein for stepping up the shaft to the center of the fuselage. The rear end o f the shaft 40 extends through the lrear member 13 of the fuselage and has attached thereto the hub 43 of the auxiliary propeller 44. The auxiliary propeller 44 has the blades 45 thereof pivotally connected to the hub 43 by means of attaching a plate 46 on the inner face of the hub and providing hinge structures 47 at each end of the plate for connection with the blades 45. In order that the blades 45 will be held or retained in an operative position when once 'swung to such position, I have provided a plate 48 upon the rear face of the hub 43 which has provided at each end thereof and adjacent each blade a air of spring lingers 49 which are rovide with offset portions 50 for engaging over the blades 45 when said blades are swung to an open or operative position.

Extendin across the 'fuselage .adjacent the rear en thereof is a bar 52 which has its opposite ends pivotally connected to a pair of the strips forming the frame of the fuselage and has connected to said pivotally connected ends a pair of rearwardly extending extensions 53 which are adapted to engage the outer sides of theblades 45 of the auxiliary propeller for holding said blades in an inoperatlve position against the sides of the fuselage when the auxiliary propeller is not in use. It can be seen that when the bar 52 is swung on its pivot that the rearwardly extending extensions 53will be moved out of the. ath of the blades 45 of the auxiliary prope ler, thus permitting saidv blades to be swung to an operative position due to the forward movement of the plane. Secured to the bar 52 intermediate its ends is an upwardly and rearwardly extendi fr supporting member 54 which supports an carries a rudder 55 positioned slightly above the fuselage at its rear end. 4The supporting member 54 extends upwardly through a pair of spaced strips 56 arranged upon the rear portion of the uppermost strip 11 forming the frame of the fuselage so that the rudder 55 may be swung upwardly when the bar 52 is swung yupon its pivot, thus moving the rudder 55 out of the path of the blades 45 of the auxiliary propeller when said auxiliary propeller is permitted to swing to its operative position, said rudder 55 being swung'in its upper position as shown in ,dotted lines in Figure 1 of the oiicial drawings. A loop portion is lformed upon the supporting member 54, as at 57, which has attached thereto the rear end of a cable 58 which extends forwardly and isy connected to the air inlet lever 39 and a crank lever 58 connected to the auxiliary engine 38 for cranking the same and to a lever 59 which is pivotally connected, as at 60, to the frame ofthe fuselage. In order that the above referred to structure will bev returned to its normal position, I have provided a coil spring'61 which is attached to the supporting member 54 and to the frame of the fuselage in rear of the supporting member 54.

Mounted upon certain of the strips 11 forming the frame of the fusela e, I have provided rearwardly and outwardly extending metallic members 62 which will form protection for the rear yor auxiliary propeller 44. The metallic members carried by the lower portion of the fuselage have provided on their outer or free ends ground wheels 63 which are adapted to support the rear end of the fuselage and prevent the auxiliary propeller fromy striking the ground should the same bein such a posi tion when landing. At the forward end of the fuselage I have also provided a pair of ground wheels 64 which are supported b struts 65 attached to certain of the longitudinal stripsll of the fuselage. In advance of the partition 14 I have provided an operators seat 66 which is arranged at a point where the levers 56 and 59 and the hand wheel 36 are positioned so thatl the same will be within the easy reach of the operator during the flying of the machine. v

In operation',l the main engine 15 drives the propeller 16 mounted on the forward end of .the fuselage during its flight, the lever 26'controlling the elevating and lowering of the plane while the hand wneel 36 steers the plane from one side to another. When landing vit often happens that it is impossible to glide or descend within the space available. In such cases, the lever 59 is moved rearwardly, which will swing the rearwardly extending extensions. 53 of the bar 52 in an upward direction, permitting the blades 45 of the auxiliary propeller to be swung outwardly, due to the forward movement of the plane. By connecting the crank lever 58 to the cable 58 said lever will be en e,- pe ler in an opposite direction from that of the main propeller 16. The rotation of the auxiliary propeller can be-'controlled to either ermit the plane to descend slowly or used lor elevating the lane, the wings and rudders `being used or guiding the course of the plane. It can be seen that when the bar 52 is swung on its pivot that.

the rear rudder 55 is swung upwardly, so as to not interfere/ with the turning movement of the blades of the propeller while the -same are 'swinging to their operative position. It is to be noted that the air inlet lever 39 of the auxiliary engine is connected to the ca ble 58 leading to the lever 59 so that the auxiliary engine will have suilicient air for causing the `easy starting thereof. When the blades of the auxiliary propeller are swung-to their operative posi- .tion the spring gers 49 en age said blades and hold the same in suc position until the plane is brought to a standstill, the blades being moved to their inoperative position by the releasing of the spring tin ers. y

hould it be found iary propeller may be operated in order to move the plane in a rearward direction. Such movement would be very desirable at certain times during the operating of an' aeroplane. A

'Having thus described myinvention,-

what I claim as new is:

l. An aeroplane having a motor oper.

ated propeller nomprising an auxiliarymotor, a propeller hub vconnected to said auxiliary motor, propelleriblades hingedly connected to said hub so that the blades of said propeller maybe folded inwardly when not in use, means for holding said `blades in an inoperative position, means for lre leasing said holding means, a rudderv car# ried on the rear en of said aeroplane, and meansl for 'moving said rudder when said ropeller blades are released so as not to interfere with said rudder.

2. An aeroplane having a fuselage andV motor driven ropeller arranged u on the forward end o said fuselage com rising an auxiliary motor'moun'ted in said uselage, a foldable propeller mounted on the rear of said fuselage operated by said auxiliary motor, a bar extending across saidfuselage and being' rotatabl connected therewith, means carried by sai bar for engaging the blades of said foldable propeller for holding said blades -in an inoperative position, and means forturning rsaid bar so as tomove said means for holding said blades' in an ino erafive position out of engagement with sai blades so as to permit said lades to open.

3. An aeroplane having a vfuselage and motor driven propeller arranged upon the swung for cranking the'auxiliai'y thus driving the `auxiliary promeans carried practical, the auxil-v signature. l

forward end of said lfuselage-cem rising an auxiliary motor mounted in said said fuselage operated by said auxiliary motor, a bar extending across said fuselage and being rotatabl connected therewith, means carried by vsai bar for engaging 'th blades -of said foldable propeller for .holding said means for holding the blades of said foldable ropeller in an open position whensaid folda le`propeller isl in operation.

4. An aeroplane having a yfuselage 'and motor driven ropeller arranged upon the auxilia motor mounted in said forward end of)A said fuselage complsisng an e age, 'a

selage, a v foldable propeller mounted on the rear ofv foldable propeller mounted on the rear of saidv fuselage operated. by vsaid auxiliary mii- 4 tor, a bar extending across' saidfusela and being rotatably connected therewit bfv said bar for. engaging blades of said oldable'pi'opeller for old# means for turning saidbar so as to move said means `for holding said blades in an ino erative position out of engagement with sail blades so 1as. to permit said blades to open, means for holding the blades .of said the ing said' blades in an inoperative position,y i

foldable propeller inan open 'position when said foldable propeller is in operation, a

throttle arranged upon said auxihary motor,-

and means for openin said throttle when said foldable propeller is permitted vto move to an operative position.

v5.y An aeroplane having a fuselageand.

motor driven propeller mounted upon the vforward end of said fuselage comprising an auxiliary motor, a pro eller hub mounted upon'said fuselage an operated by said auxiliary motor, vpropeller blades hingedly connected to said propeller hub, meansfor holding said prg ellerv blades in an inoperative position an adjacent the sides of said fuselage, means for releasing said holding means, and means for engaging the blades of said vpropeller when'swun to anoperative position/for holding said lades extended when saidfoldable propeller is in operation. 6. An aeroplane having a motor driven propeller comprising an auxiliary motor, a propeller hub mounted onv the rear of the aeroplane and operated by said auxiliary motor, propeller lades hingedly connected to said propeller, hub, and spring fingers mounted on said propeller hub for engaging said propeller bladee` for holdin said blades in an operative position while t e auxiliary motor is in operation.- v 4 In testimony whereof, Il have affixed my 'AURELIO BAMBINI. 

